In Jinghong, China, about 200 miles north of the border with Laos, we said goodbye to an old friend. This friend has been a part of the expedition for the last several months and a familiar sight for the last four countries we have traveled through. Unfortunately, the expedition has to move on and our friend is pretty set in his ways. This friend is the mighty Mekong River, the 10th longest river in the world.
The Mekong is over 4,600 kilometers long and originates in the high mountains of the Tibetan plateau and empties a massive volume of water into the South China Sea. Over the course of four thousand kilometers, the Mekong passes through six different countries and actually makes up the majority of the Laotian border with Thailand.
The Mekong holds a significant position in the culture and lives of people living throughout SE Asia. Fishing and maritime commerce abound on the Mekong and the valley it has created over time provides fertile ground for agriculture… so much so that nearly 90 percent of the population of Laos live in the Mekong river valley or on banks of the river itself.
We first met our friend when we crossed him at the colorful and chaotic portage point of Neak Leung in central Cambodia. The size of the Mekong at this point was pretty amazing and dwarfed that of any other rivers I had ever seen. We were again reunited in southern Vietnam, where we toured the delta area the Mekong has created, providing a way of life for millions of people. Upon returning to Cambodia, we were treated to one of the rare treasures of the Mekong… sightings of the extremely endangered Mekong River Dolphin. This was an amazing day because scientists estimate that these animals will be extinct within the next 5 years. The Mekong was a familiar sight throughout our journey north in Laos and the vibrant cities of Vientiane and Luang Prabang, both active ancient trading centers, would probably cease to exist if it were not for the river.
I knew that the Mekong originated in Tibet and since our route would not take us there, I thought we were saying goodbye when we left Laos. I was actually pleasantly surprised to see the Mekong again in southern China. The Mekong is just as celebrated in China as it was anywhere else we had been. Although I wasn’t too keen on the tastefulness of the bridge the Chinese had built spanning the Mekong in Jinghong, Yunnan province, I did enjoy the beer that is brewed there and named after our old friend… although they refer to the Mekong in China as the Lancang.
Spanning the Mekong one last time
It is weird phenomenon when the things you see or experience while traveling and away from home for a long time begin to fill the void created by leaving other sights and experiences behind. For me, the Mekong was just that, a familiar sight that I had gotten used to seeing. Unfortunately, I am still traveling and I must say goodbye to yet another familiar sight. I always regarded the Mekong River as being one of the things I had to remember for my 8th grade geography exam, but as a result of this trip, it now holds a lot more significance for me.
